A chimera is a fire-breathing female beast with a lion's head and body, a serpent for a tail, and a goat's head in the midsection. When one saw
Chimera it was an omen that there would be storms, shipwrecks, and natural disasters, especially volcanoes.
The chimaera may have represented fiery volcanic mountains where goats and lions dwelt and snakes innundated the foothills. It ravaged Mount Chimaera
and was eventually killed by the hero Bellerophon, who shot lead in its mouth. The lead melted in its fiery breath and burnt its insides.
The Chimera may have once been identified with the winter-rising constellation Capricorn (the serpent tailed goat). The constellation Pegasus appears
to drive her from the heavens in the spring.
Symbolism
Yanar mountain in Lycia (now Turkey) supposedly use to vent flammable gas from a crevice. Also, lions live at the top of the mountain, goats were
pastured on the middle, and there were snakes at the bottom. Hence, the chimera incorporated these four elements of the location, symbolizing all its
aspects.
Also, the symbol of Bellerophon (the hero) and the Chimera (the beast) represents the triumph of good over evil.
Today
The term chimera is still used as a general term for a monster made up of combined animals. Also, in genetics, chimeraism is a term used when
different tissues are grafted together
External Websites
Chimera Myth Site
Chimera Fact and Fiction Site
Relevant Topics on AboveTopSecret.com
Could this be a Chimera?
Human Chimera (no kidding
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